Club level, why yes or no?

[2BoysMom]

We are planning a trip at the end of Nov., beginning of Dec. for our new family of 5 (three children age 6).

I have stayed at WDW many times, but never at club level (CL). For those of you who have done, or usually do CL, please tell me what you liked, why you thought it was worth it, what kinds of foods did you see, other perks. If you didn't think it was worth it, let me know that, too.

Did any of you utilize a pin code or discount when booking CL? (I don't know if there are restrictions on that).

Which resort was it?

Thank you in advance.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My family and I always stay Club Level because we think it makes our time at WDW that much better because we liked having access to the lounge for breakfast and the hot food offerings from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, plus it was great knowing in advance what floor/building we would be at. As for the types of food for breakfast, afternoon snacks and evening desserts, all the lounges usually offer the same items. However for for the hot food offerings at 5:00 PM they have foods made from their various resort restaurants, so those will always be different. As for any discounts for my families split stay Club Level reservations at the Contemporary and Boardwalk for this August we got two different 40% discounts. At the Contemporary we are staying on a Bounceback reservation and at the Boardwalk we are using the 40% off room only promotion that I saw on the WDW website.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've used club level at a few resorts a bunch of years ago but as of late, it just isn't worth it anymore. Offerings have gone down hill and having fish crackers and gummy bears for lunch is really not worth it plus being there at their times is quite inconvenient. Last time we used it, Poly, it was just overrun with guests, actually too many to fit in their lounge, everything picked over or gone. We never used the reservationist for anything so that's a waste plus anyone, any level can request turn down service but we strip the cover off the bed as soon as we get into the room so again, no biggie there. We decided long ago, for what they now offer and charge, we rather get a standard room, maybe up grade to a better view, stock our room from a grocery stop or delivery and have what we like, food and drink wise anytime we want it for half the cost of club level. The rooms at CL are no different that standard and some of the locations are no better so CL anymore for us is a waste of money, but like everything else this is just one persons opinion and other love it.

 

[LindaR]

I don't stay CL at WDW, but I usually do at other hotels/resorts when staying elsewhere.

As much as I love Disney, I think their "version" of club level is way over-hyped. I also think they overcharge for what you get.

I choose to "pay for my pampering" when we travel elsewhere and it is rare for me to be disappointed then.

 

[WUVmyDISNEY]

We've only stayed CL once in all of our trips and that was a split BWI/GF last December. We got a great rate as they were having a sale on CL rooms and it cost us very little more at BWI than a standard room would have been.

I liked the resort but the club level rooms, or ours at least was so far from the elevator and down a freezing and I mean freezing hallway. The room was nice, the breakfast was nice. We usually had some cookies and soda for a snack during our afternoon break. The evening offerings are only a benefit if you actually are at the resort at the time the foods are served, which most times we were not.

We stayed in Sugar Loaf at GF and loved the location and I think the offerings were a nicer selection. It was nice being in a seperate building and not have to roam down long hallways etc.

Having said that, we are going back this December and not staying CL and it is not bothering me at all. I did like some of the conveniences, although we were not met at the bus for BW and it was like they weren't expecting us so that little perk we didn't even get. For the discount price we got it was well worth a try. I won't say we will never stay CL again, but at full price, not worth it to me.

 

[PoppyGirl]

We've never stayed CL before, but we are for our upcoming Dec. trip because we desperately wanted to do the Safari that is only offered to CL guests at AKL. So, we are doing a split stay with the first part CL and the second part pool view. Our pin code was only good for the pool view part of our stay and could not be used for CL.

 

[jlwhitney]

For our first anniversary we were complimentary upgraded to CL at GF and thought it was a wonderful treat but something i would never ever pay for out of pocket. All in all it is not worth the extra money for some additional food. Save the money and use it for a nice dinner or better yet just flat out save the money.

 

[em36]

We stayed club level rpc at the GF in May. We loved having breakfast in the lounge and we were able to get soft drinks and water anytime. Neither my husband or I drink alcoholic beverages, but if we did, they are plentiful during the evening hours. I made most of my dining reservations myself, but they were able to book Chef Mickey's for me even though I could not get a reservation online or by calling the dining line. After we left Disney, I asked my husband if he thought club level was worth it and he said that he would book it again next time. We were in the parks during many of the food offerings but we still enjoyed the perks when our schedule allowed. I used a discount for the club level and we were supposed to stay in Sugarloaf. When we got to the GF, a cm informed me that we had been upgraded to RPC!! We enjoyed the pixie dust and will probably book RPC in the future.

 

[2BoysMom]

When we got to the GF, a cm informed me that we had been upgraded to RPC!! We enjoyed the pixie dust and will probably book RPC in the future.

May I ask, what is RPC?

 

[em36]

May I ask, what is RPC?

I think it stands for Royal Palm Club. The Grand Floridian has two club levels. One is in the main building and it is the Royal Palm. The other is in an outer building called Sugarloaf. The offerings are exactly the same but the main building has a nice view of the castle and an orchestra and pianist that play during the afternoon and evening. I think both club levels are supposed to be very nice, but we have only stayed in the RPC. As I said, it was an unexpected upgrade and we enjoyed it so much.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

We've stayed CL 3 times. Twice at Grand Floridian, once at Beach Club. Both times at GF were at Sugarloaf. The first time at GF we were upgraded for free and it was great. We booked CL at the BC and the second time at GF. The BC CL pales in comaprison to the GF's. The food there was subpar, to say the least. But with the GF CL, you hardly need anything else to eat. Plus, the free beer is a huge plus to me.

IMHO, CL is only worth it if you are mainly hanging around the resort during the day, possible with short forays to the parks. But if you plan on being in the parks most days from opening til closing, I'd definitely pass.

 

[2BoysMom]

I love these replies, thank you so much!

This trip is a bit different then any of the other trips we have ever been on. It is one of the reasons that I am considering CL.

We are adopting a little girl this summer. She turns 6 in Oct. and by Dec. will have (hopefully) been with us about 5 months. We are considering the trip as a way to celebrate her, our new family of 5 and her first Christmas. The very first time we brought our twin boys, was for their 1st birthday, and we stayed at CR. Having a monorail resort was very special.

I want a monorail resort for her first trip to WDW, too. Since this will be her first trip and b/c she will still be very new to American culture, I also want to be able to take her back to a peaceful resort to just relax, if the parks get to be too much for her. I also thought breakfast and evening snacks at CL might be more calm for her as well, then going "out" to CS or TS for every meal.

I was considering CL at the Poly, b/c I thought it might be a great way to do breakfast everyday in a fairly relaxed fashion with 3 kids age 6. Also, the evening offerings would appeal to my somewhat fussy boys (who are not as adventurous with food, as they are at the parks). It's just an extravagance that we have never done before at WDW, and I was trying to see if it might be a good fit for our new family.

Keep sharing your advice and tips.

 

[LukenDC]

I have stayed CL twice at the Poly (once an upgrade and once a great discount) and at the Yacht Club (great discount). It's a nice experience, but since I'm one-half of a childless couple, it is not worth the added undiscounted expense for just two people. I would do it again, however, if I found a terrific discount.

In your case, I do think that it would be worth the added expense since you will be traveling as part of a large family. You can have breakfast, some nice snacks, and dessert in the lounge. You would probably end up paying almost as much for CL as you would for breakfast, snacks, and desserts elsewhere at the resort or in the parks. Add in the convenience factor and any alcohol consumption and it could be a real deal.

Of the two lounge experiences, I preferred the Poly. The lounge and its cooler of drinks is accessible 24 hours a day. The food is a bit better than the food at the Yacht Club and the Poly's lounge is a lot bigger. The Poly lounge also has floor to ceiling windows facing the Castle.

 

[brergnat]

When we stay as a family in a Disney resort, we always stay Concierge Level. We have two young boys (4 and almost 6). They are both on the Autism spectrum, so we do it mostly for the convenience, extra "personal" attention, nice lounge to hang out in, and the snacks, which we find AMPLE for about half our day's food consumption. We eat small meals and snacks throughout the day in general, so at WDW or DLR, this works much better for us than doing huge sit down meals, which our boys are just not good at doing.

I love that you can contact a person AT your resort prior to your arrival. They can help you arrange almost any special needs you might have during your stay. The IPO staff at BC went above and beyond for us in March. They were wonderful. Everything we needed, we got. There was no "this is a request, not a guarantee" garbage with them. We NEEDED a daybed so our sons would each have his own bed, they will NOT share a bed with anyone. We were only a party of 4, but the IPO staff assured me that we WOULD have a daybed, no worries. And, we did have one, as well as a beautiful room view upgrade. We had some special food needs as well, and they bent over backwards to help us out.

I love knowing that someone is looking out for us. When we arrive, I feel like I am coming "home" because the staff already knows so much about us. Our kids can be difficult, but the staff in the lounge and at the desks was always one step ahead of them, trying very hard to head off meltdowns by offering something (a sticker, a taffy, a cookie, etc.) We feel so much more welcome at CL.

I also love not having to go to the front desk. Ever! It's so nice. I love when I need something, I can go for a short walk to the CL desk and be helped by someone who "knows" me, at least by sight if not name. Although, they usually remember your name. They are good.

It's more than the food for us. It's much more. It's an entire experience that you simply don't get by staying non-CL. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing with that either, and when I travel with my friends or sister, we NEVER stay CL, simply because we are park commandos and don't have any special needs or expectations when we go together.

My family trips are MUCH more laid back. More resort time. More relaxing time. And, CL is perfect for that!

 

[Mamu]

I know there are people that would never stay CL at Disney, but we love it.

I never done CL without a discount. Usually an AP discount. This is my 4 CL 1 AKL, (loved the offerings here) 2 times the Poly. (I love the Poly Lounge) My first time at GF. I had booked 2 rooms at Sugarloaf Lodge hoping to get a discount or at least FD. Got the 20-30-40 pin and it could be applied to both rooms. I took the Pin instead of FD. We have little ones with us this trip and it hard to make ADR for all your meals. Plus there are 10 of us. We tend to eat TS lunches at the park then do CS in the evening. We are frequent visiters and we spend more time at our resort. I also like the fact that the Poly and Sugarloaf are are not in the main building.

I love the lounge where there's always drinks and fresh fruit available. Most of us are very light eaters so the morning offerings are more then enough for us. I love the idea of appetizers and a glass of wine before we re-enter the park for the evening. If were back early enough we stop in the lounge for dessert and an after dinner drink.

I would stay in a tent if I had to I love Disney and as long as they keep giving out great pin and discounts I'll keep trying different CL.

We also do a trip in March with friends (adult only) and we usually stay at Westgate, awesome timeshare. There we do a lot of our own cooking so it's great when we travel with our family. Especially with our GC, am I spoiling them WHY YES isn't that what Mamu's are for.

 

[LindaR]

Congratulations on the addition to your family!!!

 

[MissionMouse]

...I want a monorail resort for her first trip to WDW, too. ... I also thought breakfast and evening snacks at CL might be more calm for her as well, then going "out" to CS or TS for every meal.

I was considering CL at the Poly, b/c I thought it might be a great way to do breakfast everyday in a fairly relaxed fashion with 3 kids age 6. Also, the evening offerings would appeal to my somewhat fussy boys (who are not as adventurous with food, as they are at the parks). ...

We have stayed countless times PR CL. Its a great location not only with Disney World but on the grounds of the PR. The Hawaii building is right next to both pools. You also have the option of reserving a lagoon or MK view room, of course at a price. You should either look for a AAA rate early on or look for Disney discounts. I would never pay rack for CL. Easy access to the MK by monorail, water launch or ferry (TTC) area. The Hawaii building is a secure building for CL guests only. This is a great feature too, since the PR draws a lot of non-guest to the resort grounds throughout the day and evening. The the food/beverage offering have been reduced over time they still offer a good variety of food offering that surpass other deluxe clubs. CL provides a great break area for kids and sort of acts like an extension of your room.

 

[roryc]

I'll give you my reasoning for why I love concierge...

On one of our last visits, we had a castle view room at the Royal Palm Club of the Grand Floridian. Let's just say it has spoiled me forever. I am lover of all things Disney as are my girls, but my husband prefers the dining and resort amenities and would possibly never go in the parks if he didn't have to. So...since he loved having the Concierge offerings, ease of the monorail at the same building as our room, and pool lounging...he looks forward to returning to WDW vs. whining about it.

Several times, my husband would take our younger daughter back to the resort for naps and he really enjoyed the view and just chilling. (I had to max out my time in the parks) .

We tried the Poly garden view on our last visit and I was so let down. I was just not impressed with the dark theming (and I was born in Hawaii and have returned several times...so I love Polynesian theming in general). I also didn't like having to go to the main Ceremonial building to catch the monorail (again, I had been spoiled at RPC at GF). The pool was fun but we went in February and it was freakishly cold at nights (40-low 50ish) when we were at the resort so the pool was a let-down. (But that would have probably happened at every resort given the temperature). And it would have helped tremendously had I just booked Concierge, Theme Park View.

We took our babysitter (adult who is more like an aunt or second mother who my children absolutely adore...way more than my children like me it seems ) with us for that trip and that was by far the smartest thing we did. It gave us an extra adult to help manage the "fun" and one night my husband and I even went to Narcoosse's for dinner while the kids played out on the Poly beach and watched fireworks with their babysitter.

So, I am one of those people that if I'm not staying where I want to stay, then I long for "the room" the entire time. So I have learned that I need to pay for the resort room cat/view that I want and go at the right time of the year for my family for me to enjoy. (The kids could go 365 days a year and sleep out of the car and they'd be happy).

So we are returning to the GF RPC in mid-September so it might be hot (but the pools will feel good) and the crowds will be low. Through the 40% code, I booked a Theme Park View room. And...we are taking our babysitter again...especially now that we have a third child (infant). So, again if my husband gets cranky (or one of our children) they can go back to the resort quickly and easily, snack on concierge offerings/drinks and kick back and look out over the marina and castle.

And one thing I loved about Concierge, was the anytime availability for juice/milk for our little ones. I never had to even keep anything in the fridge (except for late night sleeps just for convenience sake).

Oh, and as most of us on these boards think planning is more than half the fun, I really didn't use the Concierge for dining/activity bookings as I had already done all that, but if you're one that doesn't like to get into details as such, the Concierge staff do go above and beyond to make guests happy.